Posted 9 years ago
rwilliams0…
(1 item)
This is an Arvin record player console. I'm trying to find out more about it. It looks like a coffee table and has a marble top. The radio comes on when plugged in but I can't figure out how to turn the record player on. The record player is also missing the needle but all the knobs and everything work on it. I don't know if it just doesn't have an antenna and that's why I can't get a station to come in or what. I've looked on all kinds of websites and I cannot find anything that looks like it. Not really even close. Just wondering if anyone can help me. Thanks!
Hi, I have the exact stereo in a coffee table. I am also perplexed on how the turntable works. I thought it was just me. I can tune in stations on the radio. Let me know if you figure it out. Good Luck!
You have to turn the stereo selector to phono and the select your speed
The second circle knob you just half turn and it should turn on
I have the exact same coffee table has been in my family for
52 years it was my mom and dad’s wedding present from my grandmother
Still works like a charm
I recently purchased the Arvin coffee table stereo at an auction but can't locate the power cord. Can anyone help?
Me too Grammy18. I need the power cord. Can anyone help me find one?
I have the same stereo. I got it from Habitat for humanity restore.
I got the radio working. I can't get the record player to play. I tried several times as Actrwils mentioned. No luck. Help please. Thanks
This Arvin Model 80M46-14 coffee table stereo is from the late 1960's. It is solid state and has a built-in antenna. The record changer is a Voice of Music (V-M) model 1297. Unfortunately, the 1297 was late in the V-M lineup and it seems they cut corners to manufacture them. When they work, they work fine. But when they fail, they can be a pain in the butt to get working again. This is not true of all V-M phonographs. Just this model. I rebuild old record players and the one in my Arvin coffee table has been a lemon from the day I got it.
To address the issues from the OP, you should be able to receive a radio signal without any trouble. If you can't, it could mean a transistor in the circuitry has failed. See if there's anyone in your area who rebuilds vintage audio equipment. Before you do that, try switching between AM to FM to FM-AFC to FM Stereo and try tuning in a station. If you pick up static, that means it's not dead, but something is wrong in the circuitry. If you switch back and forth between the radio settings a number of times and you get an intermittent signal or if the volume is scratchy, it probably means that the controls are dirty and need to be cleaned. There are Youtube videos that tell you how to do that. That alone could save you a bunch of money in repairs.
As for the turntable, there are also Youtube videos on how to repair these. The usual culprits for a record player that doesn't work are the idler (or intermediate) wheel, and the motor. The motors rarely ever burn out, however the lubricant that was put in there when they were built often dries out or hardens, causing the rotor to seize up and not move. Taking the motor apart and cleaning out the old lube, then re-lubricating it with light household oil or phono lube will usually bring that back to life. It's not hard to do.
The idler wheel is under the turntable platter. It is a horizontal wheel about 2" in diameter with a rubber tire on it. The rubber hardens over time and the wheel loses traction. So even if your motor is working properly, the platter may not spin fast enough, if at all. The wheels are no longer made, but a fellow at thevoiceofmusic.com has a service that rebuilds them. You send in the old wheel and they send you a rebuilt one. It's not terribly expensive to do. When you take the wheel off (see Youtube videos), you should clean an old lubricant off of the wheel's axle, and off of any moving part associated with it, then re-oil. Ideally, if you're mechanically inclined you should clean and re-lubricate all moving parts on the phono.
Like I said, the 1297 is not Voice of Music's best piece of equipment. I ended up pulling it out and replacing it with a similar Garrard record changer I found at a yard sale. All it needed was a new hole drilled for the anchor shafts.
Good luck with your Arvin stereos. Even though they are not audiophile quality, they don't sound half bad when they are working correctly. And they are fairly rare pieces of equipment.
Let me add a few things I forgot to mention. To get to the radio chassis to remove or work on, and to remove the record player to rebuild, you have to go in through the bottom of the drawer. But to take that off, you have to take the bottom panel of the coffee table off. Once the bottom panels on both the table and the drawer are off, you can remove both the chassis and the record player. It's easiest if you remove the marble panels and stand the table on its back or side. You will probably have to remove the speakers at the same time. It's a little tricky to get this thing apart, so be careful you don't break any wires from their connections.
Also, most turntables from the late 60's and 70's use the same style modular power plugs/sockets, so switching turntables should not be too hard. If all else fails you could buy a new turntable and install it as long as the modular socket is the same.
Fr a missing main power cord, look online for cheater cords for old stereos and old TV's. They have two 1/8" holes, 5/16" apart, and they were common items in the 1950's through the mid 70's. Some hardware stores may have them. They may be referred to as interlock cords.
andrewgage, thanks for the reply.
I'm going to check on the record player. The radio sounds good.
For those of you looking for the power cord, I found and purchased this recently: https://www.ebay.com/itm/323651338305
I can confirm it works with this antique record player.
I’m looking for where I can purchase a needle and needle cartridge for this specific record player. Please, please help!
I actually have one of these as well. The record player does not start on its own...but if I give the turn table a little push with my finger it starts and works. Took apart to clean and remove the idler wheel to send off for refurbishment and I found the operating instructions, Super cool!